Barbara Ganley, PhD, MSN, RN, Graduate Program Director and Associate Professor of Nursing joins us today to discuss the Master’s of Science in Nursing Program at Dominican University of California located in San Rafael California.

1.    Tell us about the Master’s of Science in Nursing program offered at Dominican University of California?
By way of introduction, I am Barbara Ganley, PhD, MSN, RN, Graduate Program Director and Associate Professor of Nursing at Dominican University of California. The MSN at Dominican University is a Clinical Nurse Leader program. This program prepares RNs to be Advanced Generalist and the degree compliments any area of nursing.

The bridgework requires 16 units including English writing (3u), Transitions (3u), Community Health (5u), Statistics (4u), and an informatics class (1u). The advanced work is 32 units. The program is for AD to MSN or BS to MSN for licensed nurses.  Nurses are qualified to sit for Clinical Nurse Leader certification at the end of the program.

For more information and to see a letter from me please visit this link or call 415/482-1829 to speak with me personally.

2.    What’s the typical duration for your full time and/or part time program?
Full time AD nurses can complete in 6 semesters and full time BS nurses can complete in 4 semesters. Part time would add an additional 2 semesters to each track.

3.    What sets your post-graduate program apart from other universities?
Dominican’s academic doors opened in 1890 as an all girl school, begin admitting men in the 1960’s, and achieved University status in 2000. We are a small campus of approximately 2500 students. We have small class sizes with great attention to the individual student and the student’s success. Faculty are all doctorate prepared and/or specialist in their field. The advanced coursework is delivered one day a week over the four semesters. Our campus is just north of San Francisco; it is 60 acres of a serene and beautiful environment conducive to study and reflection. Our students are from diverse cultures and backgrounds and embrace each other; we warmly welcome those who are different including gender specific differences and those with different ethnicity, and religious and spiritual values. Ours is a cohort program.

4.    There’s a lot of discussion about costs and benefits of college degrees today.  Do you consider your masters’ level programs a good academic value?
Dominican considers that nurses who come back to get their advanced degree should not only be motivated by the desire to move ahead in their profession and to earn more money, although this may be an incentive; but these nurses must be intrinsically motivated to 1) be better nurses, 2) to learn more about nursing and increase their knowledge of practice, and 3) to provide the best patient care possible. Inquiring students who first ask me what this degree will mean in terms of their salary are usually not the best candidates. Going back to school to simply increase one’s salary is never enough to be successful; those who do this typically lack the inspiration or drive to succeed academically. We look for students who have a strong desire to improve healthcare and who are motivated by a desire to be agents of change; they typically come in with a mission to achieve a practice goal and have ideals (and ideas) in mind to support their mission.

Whether getting one’s degree is an academic value – absolutely. The more one improves his or her education the more he or she begins to realize how much knowledge there is to still be gained. Knowledge in itself is power and this power is what one needs to make a difference.  However, it is the case that the older nurse is less likely to realize a positive return on financial investment, but there is just no way to measure the great return on the self-investment that one achieves though advanced knowledge, increased self-efficacy, increased self-esteem, and increased credibility in practice. This self-investment is “Priceless”.

5.    Does Dominican University have the ability to make financial assistance available for graduate students?
Yes, Dominican has financial aid and scholarships for our graduate students including low cost loans and non-financial need-based scholarships.

6.    Is accreditation important to your incoming students?
It is seldom that students ask about accreditation. I do not believe they would come to Dominican if our website did not state that we are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, and our program, overall, additionally accredited by the California Board of Registered Nursing.

7.    What are the key elements of your admissions requirements?
Graduate applicants must submit the following: 1) a copy of his or her valid and active California Nursing License, 2) a 500 word essay as to his or her mission and the reason for returning for graduate education, 3) official sealed transcripts from previously attended schools, 4) a GPA of 3.0 or higher, 5) two letters of professional reference attesting to the students likelihood of success in graduate school and why, 6) a resume, and 7) a completed Dominican application.

8.    Can you offer any advice for veterans or mid-career applicants who are returning to school?
Note that returning to school seriously changes one’s life literally and figuratively. While the long term rewards are great and the change in the graduate immense, going back to school also temporarily changes your priorities and limits your time with family and friends. School must be your priority for the short duration of the program. I would urge anyone who is considering this to talk to a MSN Program Director and to begin to think about time management. Going back to school is not for the faint of heart and should be considered very carefully. Consider your motivation and get support from your colleagues, family, and friends. It is such a very short time out of your life for such a great personal return. I encourage your readers to call me but if Dominican doesn’t sound like the place he or she wants to be, consider somewhere else. If you are a nurse you should always be enhancing your education – this way you serve yourself, your patients, and your colleagues to the best of your ability. If you are enhancing your education – why not get a degree as well. Get a friend to join you that way you are not only accountable to yourself but to your colleague. Buy your books used, be serious, talk to your teachers as much as possible, and never be afraid to ask questions. Always think about school and your goals – look forward to the end when you can then enroll in a doctoral program.

9.    Do you currently have or plan on offering a DNP program?
No.

10.     What do you enjoy most about your position at Dominican University of California?
The students and my colleagues. I love my job and every day I go to work I feel blessed to be in such an amazing academic / natural environment and to have such great students and faculty with whom to work.  My passion is teaching and I teach in both the graduate and undergraduate programs; I teach research, statistics, and transitions and leadership. My research is focused on group and team learning. I have been at Dominican 10 years and still marvel every day that I have such a great job.  It is said that “Dominican changes people” that includes faculty and staff, my life is ever changed from my time and associations at Dominican. Life is good.

For more information on the Master’s in Nursing Program available at Dominican University of California, visit them online or call Barbara Ganley direct 415/482-1829.

Thank you Barbara, for sharing and participating in this piece